Melody Barnes

Melody BarnesSenior Fellow

Melody Barnes served as Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council from 2009 until 2012. Prior to her work in the White House, Barnes served as Senior Domestic Policy Advisor to the Obama for America campaign.

Until July 2008, Barnes was the Executive Vice President for Policy at the Center for American Progress, a progressive research institute and think tank. From 1998 - 2003, Barnes served as chief counsel to Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Barnes’ experience also includes an appointment as Director of Legislative Affairs for the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Barnes began her career as an attorney with Shearman & Sterling in New York City. She received her JD from the University of Michigan and BA in History (with honors) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.